Ice use down, cocaine up

According to the key findings from the latest National Drug Strategy Household Survey, methamphetamine use has declined by 33%. Yet despite a highly publicised national ice taskforce launched just two years ago, the Survey results have gone largely unnoticed.

A reduction in use is something we can be proud of, according to Matt Noffs, CEO of the Noffs Foundation.

“We can look to the recommendations from the ice taskforce, namely investment in treatment, as making a real difference.”

However, Noffs says we should also perhaps look at naturally-occurring trends over time.

“We saw skyrocketing rates of heroin use in Sydney in the 1990s, and then a decline in the 2000s. We’ve seen great declines in alcohol and tobacco use over the past 20 years, and we can be proud of our investment in health and welfare services. We take care of our own.”

A significant reduction in ice use is something this government can and should be proud of, said Mr Noffs.

“Whilst we think drug testing welfare recipients is brainless, the ice taskforce recommendations are strategic thinking that should be congratulated, and the fact that we have not heard a peep about these latest figures is staggering.”